ADPD considers the protection of biodiversity a national priority. The dedication in this respect of Birdlife Malta to ensure that Malta shoulders its responsibilities are indeed commendable. Specifically in this respect, the EU Birds’ Directive clearly outlaws spring hunting, as this practice is unsustainable at best and destructive at worst.
ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo reiterated: “Spring hunting is clearly outlawed in the Birds’ Directive, and yet it is still commonplace in Malta. While the Directive provides for the possibility of a derogation in limited circumstances, this needs to be based on several strict criteria, amongst which are the strict supervision of hunting activities, and reliable data reporting. Clearly, these strict criteria are not being followed.”
Carmel Cacopardo stated: “We need to change the narrative around spring hunting. It is an unsustainable practice that prevents people from enjoying the countryside during the most beautiful time of the year. Additionally, there may be costly legal ramifications with the incorrect application of the derogation. Malta – because of its incompetent governments – already faced infringement procedures on spring hunting in the past and will most probably have to face the music yet once more.”
ADPD condemns the vote-catching tactics, currently employed by both the Labour and the Nationalist Parties. These two parties are so terrified of the hunting lobby, that they are incapable of distinguishing right from wrong. It is unbelievable, that both parties are actively bragging about allowing hunters to kill birds during their nesting period. Birdlife Malta is to be thanked for its perseverance in standing up for nature in the face of the arrogance of the Parliamentary parties and their friends.
***
Il-PL u l-PN magħqudin kontra l-bijodiversità Maltija
ADPD tqis il-protezzjoni tal-bijodiversità bħala prijorità nazzjonali. Ta’ min ifaħħar id-dedikazzjoni ta’ Birdlife Malta biex tiżgura li Malta tassumi r-responsabbiltajiet tagħha fejn tidħol il-bijodiversità. La wasalna fir-rebbiegħa, ta’ min ifakkar li d-Direttiva tal-UE dwar l-Għasafar tipprojbixxi b’mod ċar il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa, billi din il-prattika mhix sostenibbli, u teqred il-bijodiversità li tant hija mhedda f’pajjiżna.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Carmel Cacopardo tenna: “Għalkemm il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa hija illegali u abbużiva skont id-Direttiva dwar l-Għasafar, madankollu din għadha komuni f’Malta. Filwaqt li d-Direttiva tipprovdi għall-possibbiltà ta ’deroga f’ċirkostanzi limitati, tali deroga teħtieġ li tkun ibbażata fuq diversi kriterji stretti, fosthom is-superviżjoni stretta tal-attivitajiet tal-kaċċa, u rappurtar affidabbli dwar kemm jinqerdu għasafar. Huwa ċar li dawn il-kriterji stretti mhux qed jiġu segwiti.”
Carmel Cacopardo stqarr: “Irridu nbiddlu n-narrattiva dwar il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa. Hija prattika insostenibbli, u tfixkel it-tgawdija tal-kampanja min-nies u mill-familji fl-isbaħ żmien tas-sena. Barra minn hekk, jista’ jkun hemm konsegwenzi legali minħabba l-applikazzjoni ħażina tad-deroga. Malta – minħabba l-gvernijiet inkompetenti tagħha – diġà ffaċċjat proċeduri ta’ ksur tal-liġi dwar il-kaċċa fir-rebbiegħa fil-passat u x’aktarx ikollha tiffaċċja l-istess proċeduri legali għal darb’oħra.”
ADPD tikkundanna l-kilba għall-voti tal-PL u l-PN, kilba miftuma minn kull sens komun u prinċipju. Dawn iż-żewġ partijiet tant huma mbeżżgħin mill-lobby tal-kaċċa, li mhux kapaċi jiddistingwu bejn it-tajjeb u l-ħażin. Huwa inkredibbli, li dawn iż-żewġ partiti li tant jiftaħru li għandhom il-ġid ta’ Malta għal qalbhom, jiftaħru li jippermettu l-qerda tal- bijodiversità Maltija. Għal darb’oħra nirringrazzjaw lil Birdlife Malta tal-perseveranza tagħha biex tiddefendi n-natura quddiem l-arroganza tal-partiti parlamentari u tal-ħbieb tagħhom.
